As winter approaches, we begin to make changes to our lifestyle during the day and night. Air conditioners are no longer used. They are replaced by heaters. T-shirts and shorts are put away. We begin to wear jumpers and coats.
What would it be like if the temperatures where we lived were more extreme? What would it be like to live in the coldest town in the world? Come to think of it, where is the coldest town in the world?
It can be found in Siberia, and it is called Oymyakon. There, the average winter temperature is minus 50 degrees Celsius. In 1924, the coldest temperature ever was recorded: minus 71.2 degrees! Surely no-one can live there?
They do. About 500 people to be exact. Fur trading and fishing are their main trades. As there are no hotels in Oymyakon, the residents are always happy to let you stay with them for a few days. At the end of your stay, they will take you to the town’s mayor who will give you a certificate that confirms you have stayed in what they call the ‘Pole of the Cold.’
Daylight lasts just three hours in December. Things are different in the summer though. Temperatures in June and July can reach 30 degrees Celsius, and daylight lasts for 21 hours.
Living in these extreme conditions of cold makes life difficult. Cars have to be kept in heated garages. If a car is ever left outside, its engine has to be kept running. Most homes only have outside toilets because the water pipes turn to ice. When you do go outside, your glasses freeze to your face. Your mouth must always be covered because your saliva will turn to ice.
Worst of all, when someone dies, a bonfire has to be burned for three days to help melt the ground so a hole can be dug for the dead body.
Can there be anything good about living in Oymyakon? When the sun sets in the evening, you can enjoy some of the most beautiful sunsets in the world. Photographers travel there to catch these beautiful images.
And what about the town’s name? What does it mean? Oymyakon means Unfrozen Water. That seems odd seeing the water is frozen for most of the year. The name comes from the warm springs close to the town. Reindeer traders would travel for miles to these springs so their reindeer could drink.
Learn some more strange facts about Oymyakon:
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